The Forest of Hogwarts
by DorianRaziel
Summary: What my life could have been like had my family lived in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Note this is a collaboration with my cousin and some parts are AU as he had the original outline for this idea. Everything is set in the actual timeline and our actual lives. Thus we start at Hogwarts two years after the final battle. While Harry will appear he isn't the focus.


"Seven years ago I stood before this school with the rest of my first year class. Confused and lost as to what the future at this school had in store for us. The Sorting hat sang to us a song of houses divided and the need for brothers and sisters to reunite. At the time it didn't mean much to me, as my only thoughts were on which house Xander and I would end up in. There was no question that Aria would be in Ravenclaw. So after a chat with that old hat on my potential to fit in in a couple houses, it spoke of a gambit. It wasn't clear to me when it proclaimed me Gryffindor what it meant. Still I was pleased to say the least as both my parents where in said house. Then Xander was called up and my world shattered as he was sent to the rival house."

"My cousin, no, my brother and I were divided. For several months I hated that hat. It's one thing to know one of your friends will not be within arms reach, but to find you have lost both. That is when one becomes lost. That first year we learned what it was to be torn apart, To be outcast in our homes, and then we realized what we had to do. We made new friends and found ways to connect with family lost. Even if it meant breaking curfew weekly."

"To say we got inventive would be an understatement. Between Filch and his cat and Mr. Potter, the night games we played could probably be used as Auror training. Since then we have grown and come together. We broke boundaries and wrote new rules. You know you've done something right when you convince Peeves to distract the staff while you and your friends repurpose an unused class room into an inter house common room. Peeves, I can not thank you enough for those nights. May that tapestry never be the same."

"So class of two thousand five, remember what it means to come together. Though our paths will take us our separate ways, we will always be the class that answered that brilliant old hat's call. Now I leave you to listen to these other badge bearing house members that want to say something equally motivating. I on the other hand am going to go take a nap." Trying not to smile while others clap, I take my seat beside Xander with the other class leads. As Aria stands to say her peace as head girl, we make eye contact. She rolls her eyes but the smile is there in the corner of her mouth.

"Not bad for improvising." Xander whispers

"I'll have you know that I spent a fair bit of time on that speech. Last week." It's true enough a statement

"Uh huh. So where did you leave the real speech?"

"In the Forest. On my desk. In a stack of papers and plans like everything else." Xander smirks at the answer he already knew. "So I got distracted. What else is new?" We chuckle together as I find my next distraction in the form of memories. Our first year was hard but it was second year when things started to get interesting...

"Nuk nuk nuk." There are days that I really hate being a light sleeper "nuk nuk nuk." Eclipse raised his furry little head to the ticking noise someone was making with their tongue. I felt him stretch a bit before allowing him self to be picked up off the side of my head. "Sorry Eclipse but Damian needs to get up." The ferret simply yawned before crawling up the arm of my would be tormentor and settled on her shoulder.

"Aria, what are you doing here?" I mumbled as I tried to burry my head beneath the pillow. "Waking an insomniac should be illegal."

"Xander, Leon, and Nikki are going to be here in an hour. You need to be ready or we'll be late getting to Diagon Ally." She responded as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"You do realize that means I could sleep for fifty minutes and we would still be there at a reasonable time." It wasn't a question really this was an old debate to say the least.

"Then what would I do for that time while I wait?" Ah, so that's what this is about... I slid over to the far side of the bed.

"Either join me or go play with Rose." I mumbled clinging desperately to the last shreds of sleep that were now attempting to vacate my body. "I frankly don't care as long as I get a little more sleep." If it had been almost anyone else I would have been surprised when she chose to accept my invitation. Eclipse found himself a comfy spot between us before curling into a ball.

"He's definitely yours." she cooed, stroking his head. I just sighed giving up sleep as a bad job

"He only gets his attitude from me. His adorable looks come from you." I suppose I'm lucky all she did was try to push me off the other side of the bed, but she did let out a giggle. So there's that.

"So are you saying I'm adorable or that I look like a ferret?" I probably should have thought before I opened my mouth but sleep deprivation didn't give me the option.

"You're the metamorphemagus and I haven't looked at you yet today." I shrugged from under the pillow "So for all I know you do look like a ferreOhh!" A word to the wise, a pillow does little to stop a well deserved punch to the head.

"Skrewt!" Aria growled as I pulled my head from under the pillow, dabbing at my lip to see it was split. Looking up at her I have to say, for an angry twelve year old girl, she did look kinda cute. She had red-blond hair in a pixie cut, her eyes blazed a hazel green, and her faint ever present freckles rested lightly across her nose. I could swear Eclipse was shaking his head at me.

"Sorry." I said just loud enough for her to hear me. She continued to glare at me for another second before she used her wand to fix my lip. "Thanks." Aria seemed to shrug off her anger quick enough and soon she smiled again.

"It's a good thing I've known you so long or I'd have hexed you."

"So how do we explain you using magic to the Ministry?"

Aria simply laughed in my face. "Your mum is still home. The Ministry only knows that the spell was cast in this flat. They have no idea who did the casting."

"Did your dad tell you tha..?" Stifling a yawn I finally look up at my alarm-clock. "Ari." I give her a flat look

"Yes but really anyone in the Ministry could tell you that. It's not like the Aurors arrest kids for little things." Looking up from the furry occupant of the bed hearing the tone of my voice "What?"

"You said Xan, Leon, and Nikki where going to be here in an hour." The look on her face let me know she understood where this was going and in no way was she sorry.

"So?"

"It's a quarter to six. They're not supposed to be here until eight."

"Ok so I lied. I needed someone to talk to. Besides, your sister snores when she's excited about the next day." She did her best to sound annoyed with Rose even if it wasn't really true. What Rose did barely counted as snoring.

"You're not alone Ari. Your dad will be back from his assignment soon." I slid one arm under her neck and pulled her into an awkward hug. Hugs are tricky when you have a ferret between you. The hug may be awkward but the sympathy in it was felt. Aria probably spent half her child hood with my family while her dad was off doing what ever Aurors do. The war may have ended three years ago but it didn't change the fact that there are still bad wizards out there. Ari leaned into my shoulder and did her best to smile. "What did you want to talk about?"

Aria sighed though a bit more contented. "Do you think this year will be better?"

"I think so. We're not ickle firsties anymore so the teasing should be easier." I had to fight another yawn and was surprised to see her do the same. "We'll find time to hang out as well. Maybe this year we'll even get Xander's friend Tobin to say more than two words to us."

"Hey, don't pick on the shy kid. Not everyone is as good at meeting people as you." Aria yawned again nestling into the pillow

"Just because people like to be around me doesn't mean they really like me. Only a few are actually my friends." I sighed feeling sleep start to grip me again

"Well I like you so you can live with it." She murmured. I gave half a chuckle in response before we fell back asleep.

"Damian, Aria sweet heart. It's time to get up." Mom gently shook us awake. I mumbled something about five more minutes but it seemed to go unnoticed. "I'm taking your brothers to your grandmum's. Aunt Madelyn should be here soon with her lot. Aria, make sure he's up and dressed before I get back. Rose and breakfast are at the table." She kissed us each on the head before heading out the door.

"I wish she wouldn't do that." I groaned after she left

"Are you really going to gripe about having a mother that loves you in front of me." Aria raised an eyebrow making it perfectly clear that we all knew this was a bad idea. I countered with a look saying 'I'm not nearly that stupid'

"No, the bit about me needing to be reminded to get up or dressed for the day." I retorted as I stretched and popped my neck before extracting my arm from under my friend's head "I managed just fine all of last year without incident and not just because Rory wakes up at the crack of dawn."

"You did forget your sock that one day." She had that coy smile of hers

"You know perfectly well that it was hexed and trying to bite me." I groaned and made a valiant effort to push her giggling form off the bed. "Get out of here, I'll be out in a minute." Aria rolled off landing on her feet with all the deftness of one that spends most of their summers on a broom

"Don't be too long Dae. Come on Eclipse, let's get some sausage." The ferret cherped happily at the thought of treats and scurried up to sit on her shoulder. It didn't take long after she left for me to arrive at the table. Rose was munching happily on her porridge while humming to herself. Aria was doing much the same minus the humming while feeding my ferret bits of bacon. Not a bad way to start the day. By the time mum returned with my cousins, aunt, and Xander's friend we were finishing the dishes.

"The Standard book of Spells (grade 2). Transfiguration beyond the basics by Emeric Switch. Defense Against vol.2 by Soleman Aegis, and Potions and Tonics for all Rhymes and Reasons by Arsenius Jigger." Xander read off the second year book list excitedly as we entered the Leaky Caldron. It was rather quiet at this early hour in the pub. Tom the old bar-man gave us a wave in greeting as he passed plates to the barmaid. Otherwise it was your average run of the mill day.

Xander had stopped reading to scan the room for Tobin. His father would be leaving him in Aunt Madelyn's care for the remainder of the summer holidays. I was more interested in finding Rory, a fellow Gryffindor from our year. Xander darted across the room to a table where a bored, lonely looking, boy sat quietly while is farther discussed business with another man. Upon seeing Xander the boy's face lit up considerably. By the time he reached the table Tobin had managed to get his father's attention just long enough to be dismissed with an unconcerned wave of a hand. Not even taking the time to acknowledge his son's friend.

Nikki's grimace towards Xander's house mate didn't go unnoticed by Aria or myself. We shared a quick look before Aria put an arm around the other girl's shoulder in an effort to brighten her mood. Unlike the rest of us Nikki was Muggle born and her parents would rather believe magic wasn't real. Seeing as the law states only a guardian or Hogwarts letter can introduce you to the magical world, she had a very confused childhood. When she got her letter Xander was ecstatic that he could finally tell his best friend the truth. However when you're submerged into a strange new world and your best friend starts hanging out with someone else, feelings get hurt. Suffice to say she was a little frosty with Pure blood Tobin.

"It's ok, Xander isn't abandoning you." Aria whispered to her friend.

"Did you feel that way when Damian started hanging out with Rory?" Nikki sniffed irritably

"At first, but that's not how it was. They are in the same house so obviously they are going to see more of each other. Besides, Rory is just as green to the magical world as you are. It's hard to be mad when he is just a scared confused kid that Dae is watching out for." Aria smiled "Then he was so polite and timid asking for help reviewing his homework. I couldn't hate him after that."

The trip to Grimgotts was mostly uneventful. Leon almost lost his breakfast and Nikki nearly her glasses. Rose wanted to ride the cart a second time which earned a rare smile form our Goblin guide. Soon enough we where back out in the bustle of Diagon Ally trying to decide where to go first. The Second years amongst our group wanted to start with Flourish and Boltts then hit up the Apothecary before tucking into Quality Quidditch Supplies and The Weasly Wizard Wheezes. However in the end our mother's logic and Deucalion's whining won out. So we started at the closets shop on their list and wandered into Olivander's so he could get his wand. Not that he would know how to do anything but make sparks for the nest five weeks. Olivader himself was in a state of semi-retirement. Whatever happened to him during the war had not been kind. The last couple years he has been getting his son up to speed to take over for him.

"Ah time for another member of the Forst clan," the kind old man called from a desk off to the side where he had several diagrams and papers out "Deucalion I do believe." he smiled but made no attempt to get up, instead the younger Olivander greeted us

"So young man." he smiled as a pair of measuring tapes went to work sizing up my cousin "Which is your wand hand." Leon raised his right arm and started to speak when one of the tapes decided to measure his tongue. "Good good good." he responded as though Leon had never meant to say anything, much to the boys frustration. "So will you be like Alexander here? Elm, Dragon heart string, fourteen and a half inches. Calculating and strong with a personality to match?" The tapes seemed to be trying to figure out the space between the corners of my cousin's mouth.

"Perhaps more like his mother. Poplar, unicorn hair, eleven and a quarter inches, firm. Honest and integral, a no nonsense wand for one that makes their own way." the elder Olivander chimed in while motioning for the rest of us to join him at the desk as he conjured up some tea. "Tessa Cornocte, Pear, phoenix feather, eleven and three quarters inches. Forgiving, the wand well suited to advanced charms work." Mum accepted the cuppa offered to her as he went on. "Then we have young Damian. Pine, Phoenix Feather like your muther, eleven and a half inches, springy. Straight grained and true to your convictions. You would do well in testing new things. Aria Reswick, Willow, Unicorn hair, eleven inches, supple. Healing may well come natural to you. Then we have Nicolette Aldridge. Hazel, Unicorn hair, ten and three quarters inches pliable. A powerful and emotionally sensitive wood balanced with the steady calm loyalty of its core. Your friends should count themselves lucky to never see the business end of your wand. Finally we have Tobin Vicker. Chestnut, unicorn hair, twelve and a quarter inches. You may well find happiness in nature whether with plants or beast."

Deucalion and young Mr. Olivander had stopped playing with the measuring tapes and had started the proses of wand waving. As more and more wands piled up so did Leon's anxiety though Olivander seemed to be thrilled. The elder wand maker explained how his son was doing more than just messing with my cousin. He was studying him, listening closely to the boy and basing the wands to pick on his temperament and personality.

"Dogwood, dragon heart string, nine and a half inches, unmoving. If I'm right, this should favor you quite well." The young craftsman sounded confident as he returned from the end of the back of the shop. "Give her a try." Deucalion took the wand and waved it a little harder than necessary. A loud bang like a cannon tore through the shop as bright lights blazed like clouds of fire in the air. Eclipse dove down my shirt collar to escape the calliope that startled his happy nibbling of my biscuit. Leon cheered with joy spraying harmless sparks from the tip of the wand.

"A seeker to be heard." The elder craftsman smiled "Strong in convictions, his time at school shall not be forgotten."


End file.
